“I’m really pleased you’re here, that’s all. Relieved. I’m sure you’re in demand and I don’t want head office to snatch you away and put you elsewhere yet. I’ve been desperate for help.”
Abby was silent for a moment. “So you don’t mind that head office sent me?”
“Are you kidding? I could hug them.” Evie waited for a gap in the traffic and turned into a narrow road that led steeply down towards the harbour. “I’d been telling them for a while that it would be helpful to have a conversation about the way things are.” She slowed down to allow a mother with a toddler to cross the road safely.
“You contacted them? And what did they say?”
“Nothing. They didn’t respond.”
“So did you try again?”
“A couple of times, but after that I stopped. I didn’t want to be a bother. I assumed they were busy.” And Evie knew that feeling. “They’re expanding a lot so we’re not a priority.”
“Every hotel is important. I’m sorry you had that experience.”
“You have no reason to be sorry. It’s not your fault! You’re a worker bee like the rest of us.” Evie shot her a brief smile. “Anyway, everything is good now. And they sent me you, so I’ll forgive them.”
“You’d better get to know me before you form a judgement.”
“I know enough. From the moment you set foot inside the hotel you’ve been asking sharp, pertinent questions. I can tellyou’re exactly the person I need to help me get everything back on track. Dare I ask what your first impressions are?”
Abby looked thrown by the question. “I—the position is exceptional of course. The staff approachable and friendly. From what I’ve seen so far you seem to be a close-knit group. Supportive.”
A little too close-knit on occasions, but that wasn’t something Evie was ready to discuss.
The road narrowed still further and Evie swung into a parking space. “This is my space. Can’t go further into the village or we’ll be stuck. Tourists do it sometimes of course. They ignore all the massive notices and try and park on the quay when the tide is out. Then the tide comes in and they’re annoyed that their car is filled with seawater. They seem to think we put the warning signs there for our own entertainment.”
Abby undid her seat belt. “You said no one in head office replied to you. Who did you contact?”
“Do you know them all?” Had she been indiscreet? Yes, she probably had. She didn’t want to get anyone into trouble. “Forget I said anything. It was unprofessional of me.”
“Not at all. You were being honest, and honesty is essential if a business is to run smoothly.”
“My email probably went into spam or something.” She didn’t mention that she’d emailed more than once and left a voicemail. “Between you and me, I haven’t had much to do with anyone at head office. They’ve pretty much left us to get on with things ourselves, which is a compliment, obviously. They must have been happy with the way things were or they would have said so.”
“But you would have liked more support.”
“After Gerald collapsed, it would have been helpful. Everyone was in a bit of a state—everyone loves Gerald, you see. I have to be sensitive about suggesting any changes. Gerald hadhis own way of doing things and the staff feel it’s disloyal to do things differently.”
“But there are changes you would make?”
“Some, yes.” Evie grabbed Abby’s luggage from the car. “Lately I’ve been feeling as if the place needed a bit of a change in strategy, you know? And I’m only acting general manager, obviously. I didn’t want to overstep my remit, although I’m not entirely sure what my remit is. A bit of everything, I think. I even wrote a memo outlining what I thought we could do to improve things and make more money—we’re missing opportunities—but I don’t think anyone bothered to read it.”
“Did you talk to them about it in person?”
“No. I didn’t want to hear all the reasons why my ideas wouldn’t work. I thought it was easier to send a memo.” She paused, wondering how honest to be. “I’m not great with conflict. Particularly when it’s people I’ve known forever. How about you?”
“I think there are situations where being direct is appropriate, and I don’t usually have a problem with that.”
“You don’t worry about it damaging relationships?”
Abby gave a faint smile. “No,” she said. “That concern isn’t generally top of my list. But I probably don’t have the same close relationships at work that you do.”
“I suppose that’s inevitable as you move around a lot.”
And Abby wasn’t a manager, Evie thought. It was different. “That memo you sent—I’d like to read it if you’d be willing to share it.”
“You would?”
